S.J. Godfrey

Academic paper

Neues Jahrbuch fuer Geologie und Palaeontologie. Monatshefte

E. Schweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung

1984

11

661--672

The pectoral girdles of vertebrates that fly are solidified ventrally to provide strong resistance to a downward directed power stroke. Subaqueous fliers (sea turtles and penguins) employ power strokes that are dorsoventrally symmetrical; their pectoral girdles are reinforced both dorsally and ventrally. Plesiosaurs were osteologically unsuited to fly subaqueously. Their forelimb may have been used in a fashion similar to that of ota-riid pinnipeds. Otariids usually employ a thrust/recovery stroke in which the limb is used as a hydrofoil. Opposing views of Plesiosaurs as subaqueous rowers vs. subaqueous fliers are reconciled by accepting that both interpretations may be partially correct.

Critical review, Plesiosauria, locomotion (subaqueous rowers, subaqueous fliers), skeleton, functional morphology, correlation, living taxa (sea turtles, penguins, birds).

English